Cigarettes testing

ABSTRACT

Testing cigarettes for leaks by passing them endwise through a suction chamber which draws air from atmosphere through the end of a cigarette and through its wrapping and the pressure of which fluctuates according to the air flow.

0 United States Patent [1113,580,053

[72] Inventor Desmond Walter Molins [56] References Cited lkptford, London, England UNITED STATES PATENTS P 3 1 2,952,262 9/1960 Pocock et a1. 73/37.7 [22] PM 3,395,570 8/1969 Kochalski 73/38 [45] Patented May 25, 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS [7 3] Assignee Molins Machine Company Limited London, England 1,025,173 6/1955 Germany 73/38 [32] Pnomy Primary Examiner-S. Clement Swisher [33] Great Bmam Attorney-Craig, Antonelli, Stewart and Hill 31] 46375/67 [54] CIGARETI'ES TESTING 1 4 Claims 2 Drawmg Flgs' ABSTRACT: Testing cigarettes for leaks by passing them end- [52] US. Cl 73/41 wise through a suction chamber which draws air from at- [51] Int. Cl G01m3/04 mosphere through the end of a cigarette and through its [50] Field ofSeai-ch ..73/37.7, 38,

wrapping and the pressure of which fluctuates according to the air flow.

Patented May 25,1971 3,580,053

fiw Mia WAQ CIGARE'I'IES TESTING This invention relates to the testing of Cigarettes and similar rodlike articles having an air-permeable filling and a wrapping therefor, for undesirable leaks in the wrapping.

Proposals have been made for testing cigarettes by methods which include mounting in carriers each of a stream of cigarettes moving transversely to their lengths, establishing an air pressure difference across the wrapping of each cigarette in turn and determining the airflow through the wrapping by pneumatic means which communicate with the cigarettes through the carrier. The proposals so far made have been complicated and therefore relatively expensive to make and maintain.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of an apparatus for testing cigarettes and similar rodlike articles which is relatively simple and inexpensive.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of testing cigarettes and similar rodlike articles, which may include a continuous wrapped tobacco rod, comprising moving each article through a test chamber which has an inlet and an outlet for the articles and which communicates with means tending to maintain the air pressure in the chamber different from atmospheric pressure, so that at a moment during its travel the article obturates the inlet and the outlet simultaneously with at least one of its ends communicating with atmosphere, and at this moment detecting the air pressure in the chamber to indicate airflow through the cigarette wrapping between the filling and the test chamber.

Preferably the articles are passed through the chamber endwise in continuous succession.

The means to maintain the test chamber pressure different from atmospheric pressure may be suction means acting to reduce it below'atmospheric pressure and the pressure difference so produced may be relatively high compared with the sort of pressure differences which have heretofore been used in the air-testing of cigarettes being, for instance, of the order of a meter of water. This has the advantage of increasing the effect which a leak has and thereby rendering the test more sensitive and accurate.

The invention extends to providing a method of manufacturing cigarettes in which a continuous stream of endwisemoving wrapped tobacco rods are tested for air leaks in the wrapping whilst moving endwise. Conveniently the test may be performed as the rods leave a cigarette-making machine where tobacco is wrapped in paper to form a continuous wrapped tobacco rod which is then cut up into appropriate lengths. This is of particular advantage where means are provided to space the rods apart as they move endwise, such as for instance in the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes. As an alternative the test could be performed on the continuous rod itself before it is cut up.

The invention can also include a method of testing cigarettes and similar rodlike articles having a wrapping for leaks in the wrapping comprising forming a chamber around each article between its ends establishing an air pressure difference between the interior and exterior of the wrapping across the wrapping so as to tend to cause airflow through the wrapping and detecting air pressure in the chamber to indicate the air flow through the wrapping.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by

way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

H6. 1 is a view of a device testing cigarette rods, and

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing the test device comprises a chamber 1 having inlet and outlet apertures 2' and 3 respec tively for cigarettes 4 which are cut from a continuous rod 5 formed on a cigarette-making machine, by a knife 6. The cigarettes are advanced endwise in the direction of the arrow and moved apart from one another by mechanism the details of which are not shown. The inlet and outlet apertures 2 and 3 are formed to be as small as possible having regard to the tolerances on the cigarette diameters. The chamber 1 is provided with a port 7 which is connected to a suction source and to a pressure-sensitive testing device which is in turn connected with rejection means to effect removal of faulty cigarettes from the production stream.

As a cigarette 4 passes through the chamber 1, and during the time it is obturating both the inlet 2 and the outlet 3, the pressure in the chamber 1 is reduced. If there is a leak, which might be a pinprick for example, in the cigarette wrapping then, when this travels through the chamber 1, air will flow through the cigarette from the ends which are open to atmosphere and through the hole in the wrapping to increase the pressure in the test chamber 1. This pressure increase is noted by the pressure-sensitive test device as being abnormal; which thereupon causes that cigarette to be rejected.

Alternatively the test may be carried out on the continuous rod itself, i.e. before the rod is cut. In that case the chamber 1 is located as close as is practicable to the cutoff, and is preferably upstream of the cutoff knife.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A method of testing cigarettes and similar rodlike articles traveling in a stream comprising successively moving each article endwise through a test chamber which has an inlet and an outlet for the articles and which communicates with means tending to maintain the air pressure in the chamber different from atmospheric air pressure so that at a moment during its travel the article obturates the inlet and outlet simultaneously, while at the same moment at least one of the ends of the article communicates with atmosphere, and at this moment detecting the air pressure in the chamber to indicate airflow through the article wrapping between the interior thereof and the test chamber.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein suction is applied to the chamber to reduce the pressure below atmospheric pressure.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the pressure difference is about a meter of water pressure.

4. Apparatus for testing cigarettes and similar rodlike articles moving in a stream comprising a test chamber having an inlet and an outlet for the articles, means to maintain the air pressure in the chamber different from atmospheric pressure, means to move each article successively endwise through said chamber wherein at a moment during its travel the article obturates the inlet and outlet simultaneously with at least one of its ends communicating with atmosphere, and means to detect the air pressure in the chamber at said moment to indicate airflow through the article wrapping between the interior thereof and the test chamber. 

1. A method of testing cigarettes and similar rodlike articles traveling in a stream comprising successively moving each article endwise through a test chamber which has an inlet and an outlet for the articles and which communicates with means tending to maintain the air pressure in the chamber different from atmospheric air pressure so that at a moment during its travel the article obturates the inlet and outlet simultaneously, while at the same moment at least one of the ends of the article communicates with atmosphere, and at this moment detecting the air pressure in the chamber to indicate airflow through the article wrapping between the interior thereof and the test chamber.
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein suction is applied to the chamber to reduce the pressure below atmospheric pressure.
 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the pressure difference is about a meter of water pressure.
 4. Apparatus for testing cigarettes and similar rodlike articles moving in a stream comprising a test chamber having an inlet and an outlet for the articles, means to maintain the air pressure in the chamber different from atmospheric pressure, means to move each article successively endwise through said chamber wherein at a moment during its travel the article obturates the inlet and outlet simultaneously with at least one of its ends communicating with atmosphere, and means to detect the air pressure in the chamber at said moment to indicate airflow through the article wrapping between the interior thereof and the test chamber. 